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What I Love: Bath, Body, and Make-up Edition

Now hear this: I am not the arbiter of what’s new and hot in the beauty and skin care world. I’m simply a no-longer-thirty-something redhead who, on any given day, can be equal parts satisfied and horrified at her appearance. I can go from somewhat attractive to heinous and back to decent in no time flat, and before I know it I’m back to disheveled.

Raise your hand if I just described you.

Because I’m a girl and we girls show one another what products we like to use, here’s what’s in my toolbox right now. (I’m just linking to random vendors here and there, but you can find most of these things online or in stores.)

Clinique Eye Make-up Remover. The best eye makeup remover there is. Not greasy, not oily, doesn’t sting, and you can swipe it under your eyes a couple of times a day to get rid of that drugged-out smudged mascara look.

Neutrogena Shampoo (Anti-Residue Formula). This may become obsolete now that I have a water softening system in the house, but this shampoo has been the best at making my hair feel extra clean.

Aveda Energizing Body Cleanser. This is why I love going to our farm when I know Missy’s going to be there. She always brings along a bottle of this and, lucky for me, leaves it in the shower. I use it, because it’s delicious and because I can. Honestly, people will walk around taking whiffs of you all day. It smells divine.

Stila “Barefoot Contessa” eyeshadow. This shade is indescribable, and is great for so many different eye colors, skin tones, etc. It’s not brown, but it’s not burgundy, but it’s not bronze, but it’s not gold…it’s a slightly shimmery earth tone that isn’t overly brown or brassy, and it makes eyes really pop. (Well, it doesn’t make them “pop”—that would be gross. It makes them “stand out.”)

Maybelline “Totally Toffee” ColorSensational Lipstick. The best drugstore lipstick I’ve ever used, and a great brownish/earth tone/nude/neutral color. I’m tempted to buy ten of them before it gets discontinued, which it will, because everything I love gets discontinued.

No, I don’t have a persecution complex. Why do you ask?

Maybelline The Colossal Volum Mascara. This might not be the best recommendation, as I’m a mascara/eyelash junkie and tend to really overdo it when it comes to mascara. But I have to be me, and me loves this huge, chunky brush.

Cover Girl Perfect Blend Eyeliner – in Black, of course. So here’s the thing. I’ve figured out that I have—HAVE—to wear tons of black eyeliner these days, like Pat Benatar amounts of eyeliner. And the great thing is, instead of looking like a girl of ill repute (as would have been the case had I worn this amount in high school, which, by the way, I did), I just look like a normal person! Being forty with fair skin and red hair means black eyeliner. At least in my sick, twisted world it does. And this is the best one I’ve found! It’s not too soft and smudgy, but not to hard and dry, either. (And I can buy it at our tiny grocery store in town, which means I’m never without Pat Benatar eyes.)

La Mer – The Cleansing Gel. Again, I blame Missy. I would have steered completely clear of this extremely expensive skin care line had my sister-in-law and I not spent a week together at the farm awhile back. Frustrated with her skin (which I’ve always found lovely, by the way) Missy had splurged and bought the La Mer full line, which included this mild—but oh, so effective—cleansing gel. Again, she left it in the shower, which meant I had free rein…and I was immediately hooked. The stuff is incredible, and if you like gel cleansers (I can’t stand creme cleansers; they make my face feel filmy), this one is to die for. And while I’ve stayed away from most of the rest of the La Mer products, this is one I know I’ll be using for a long time. (At $65 for 6.7 ounces, it seems like highway robbery. But in my experience, one bottle lasts for a long, long time. It’s very concentrated.)

St. Ives Apricot Scrub – Blemish Control. I’m sorry to write the word “blemish.” It’s an ugly word. But this stuff not only keeps “those things” at bay, it also does a good job at dissolving the gunk in your pores (by way of a tiny bit of Salicylic acid) and keeping them clean.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub – Fresh Skin. If you have perfect pores (sitting on my hands) and just want a nice, natural, mild scrub for your face and body, this is yummy and wonderful.

St. Ives scrubs are awesome.

Mac Studio Fix Foundation. I found myself at a mall in the big city when we went to the rodeo last month, and the MAC counter at a department store in the mall sucked me in and forced me to stop there. I’d left my foundation at home that weekend, and I was looking for something that not only provided a little coverage for my freckly face, but also for the new scar I have above my right eye—the result of an unfortunate dermatological finding last May. (Basal Cell Carcinoma; it’s totally fine now. Well, except for the gash on my face.) One of the young hipsters behind the counter painted this stuff on me…and I absolutely love it. Not to mention I feel neato that I own a MAC product.

But here’s the kicker.

This darn foundation brush. I’ll just go ahead and admit right now that I never really knew foundation brushes existed. Well, I knew they existed…but I thought they were called “fingers.” But once the MAC girl brushed this across my face, I saw the light. Wow. I’ve never fallen in love with something so quickly. (The brush. Not the girl. But she was really sweet.) At $32, I’m not letting my boys anywhere near this beauty.

And finally.

The most important item in my arsenal.

Bonne Bell Dr. Pepper Lip Smacker. In terms of lip moisture, flavor, scent, and color, this is the best there is. It’s the perfect amount of gloss (not too much), the perfect sheer reddish-brown, and it’s available everywhere. I’ll be 86 and still wearing my Dr. Pepper lip smacker.

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What a coincidence! That’s the same lipstick I wear!
Oh, wait, did I just say that? Ahem. Nevermind. You didn’t read that.DaddyScratches.com

Maryanne

I am going to try the clinique!

Norma

Wonderful post of such great products!!

http://howsweet.wordpress.com/ Jessica @ How Sweet It Is

I am obsessed with bath and body products. I love everything MAC and have been dying to try La Mer products but haven’t taken the $ plunge. Love you review.🙂

http://www.stuffgrowing.blogspot.com EG

I got my hair cut last week at an Aveda salon, and they did a free makeup touch-up after I was done (which I needed on account of the brow waxing).

They used a FOUNDATION BRUSH. I refrained from buying it there on the spot, but it felt wonderful and covered wonderfully and didn’t look heavy. Oh man.

http://starwoodgal.wordpress.com Starwoodgal

Ditto on the mascara – that stuff rocks. I have no eyelashes anymore or at least they don’t show up at all unless I wear this stuff. Maybe I need to check out that eye liner and lip stick too. 🙂

http://followthisumbrella.wordpress.com Amber

I did not even know Dr. Pepper lip gloss still existed. But I agree – addicted to my foundation brush. Worth the $30.

Mia

Love the Dr. Pepper lip gloss! Smells good, just a bit of color.

http://www.clarkpetri.com Tovah

This was so cool. I love peaking in other people’s make-up bags! It’s always interesting to see what people can’t live without. For me it is under eye concealer by Neutrogena, lip gloss and a little blush. And you’re right about the magic make-up brush–when you find a good one hang on to it!

http://www.fromsingletomarried.com Tabitha (From Single to Married)

I can’t even count how many Dr. Pepper tubes I have lying around the house – love that stuff!

Those beauty items sound so cool! Especially the scrub for blemishes (yeah, I got ’em). I bet if you did a giveaway of goodie bags including them that lots of people would love it.

Just sayin’.

http://www.homegrown-photo.com Britney

Thanks for the tip on the Neutrogena shampoo…we have horribly hard water and I’m always looking for something that will relieve my hair! I know you’re in love with the MAC foundation now…but you should totally give Bare Minerals foundation powder a try….it has great coverage and you never had that caked on foundation feeling…because it’s powder… I started using it almost 3 years ago when I was pregnant with my little girl…my face turned horribly oily and I wanted something light that wouldn’t add to the funk on my face….Bare Minerals was the answer! Just had to put that out there.

http://www.thedomesticmama.com mamakeith

Ahhh….it’s fun being a girl…most of the time!

Munchiedog

I tracked down the Totally Toffee lipstick and I will venture out to try some more of your favorite things. I just cleaned out a whole stash I tried but did not like. Nice to have a review before buying expensive products.

http://www.thedomesticfringe.wordpress.com the domestic fringe

So funny you added the Bonne Bell. That’s one small foundation brush…I’m not sure if I ‘get it’. I may need a tutorial on that one. The lipstick looks like something I need to try! Thanks for the suggestions.

Have you tried Lush products? They smell yummy and work wonders on your skin/hair/soul. I personally would kill for a bathtub in my apartment, just to use one of their bubble baths. It is like a tasty bubbly explosion!

I have been a Bobbi Brown junkie, but lately, I have not been able to justify the cost. So, I ventured out to the grocery store, of all places, and bought some Garnier Fructise moisturizer, and it ‘s been working fine. Not greasy, not shiny…and, well, still not Bobbi Brown. I’ll try the St. Ives cleanser, since I’m not crazy about the Aveeno I purchased. But, I’ll use it up. Trying to be frugal, since so many around us seem to be having tough times. The lipstick is on my list, it looks close to my BB shade, which I love. I’d like to try the shower gel, but will stay away due to cost. Ditto on the commenter who suggested a giveaway of said goodies!!!!!! I drink way too many Dr. Pepper’s as it is, should I go for the lip gloss, too?

Kathy

Right on about the eye makeup remover. You could just about pour the stuff in your eyes and you won’t flinch, yet it removes the toughest of eye make-up. I’ve used it for years and it lasts forever, just a dab a day.
I’ll be buying some of this loot today!